raystone
01-30-2008, 11:12 AM
Ron Paul A Stronger America
Written for RPF
This isn’t a headline seen anywhere in the media profiling Ron Paul, even in friendly media. Nor is it seen in homemade slogans. However, you and I know it, we all get it; federal government must drastically cut spending to save our quality of life as we know it. Federal government must be restricted in its power over our individual lives to save/restore our quality of life as we know/knew it.
The general public hears, even directly from Ron Paul, “bring our troops home”, and “abolish the Department of Education”, etc. Intuitively, to the general public, this sounds like a weaker America. In other words, it’s counterintuitive to believe reducing our presence in the world, and cutting government programs will make a stronger America. A result of too many years of Bush administration propaganda, with the media dishing it out.
Social scientists and psychologists recently have shown research evidence Bush maintained his presidency in the ’04 election because more Americans believed Bush would keep us safe from terrorism. This is despite more Americans starting to believe at the time the war was a mistake. Democratic candidate Kerry tried to show his strengths talking about health care for all Americans and change and hope, however, when it came down to actual voting, more Americans wanted America to “stay on the offensive “, “to fight them over there”, buying the propaganda from Washington, because there was little, if any media, telling mainstream America otherwise.
One thing that unites Ron Paul supporters and the rest of the country is that we all want a stronger America. Non Ron Paul supporters simply believe Ron Paul as president would produce a weaker America. Let me explain.
Of course, the debate forums, replete with questions meant to position the candidates, and, which allowed for virtually no real debating, didn’t further Ron Paul’s cause in educating America how he would make it stronger. Though, of course, has many have pointed out in blogs and forums, when Ron Paul starts out an answer with for example “Abolish the Department of Education”, mainstream America instinctively hears “Weaker America”.
How about mainstream media and Ron Paul’s message. Despite the use of the term blackout, there certainly has been some coverage. Fundraising did receive coverage on every major channel. Ron Paul was on late night variety shows more than Romney and McCain. Networks interviewed him on his positions and responses to major news events. In fact, many times, forum thread headlines were “Ron Paul is over the media today.” The blimp received some coverage, just check the blimp site for those news pieces.
Critically, did Ron Paul take advantage of this time to educate America, to make his and our positions “intuitive”? I would argue no, rather, he stated his position, and made an excellent argument on how much money the U.S. is spending on the war, and being in 130 countries, etc. That the Federal Reserve is printing money out of thin air, causing the dollar to lose value. Unfortunately, as we are beginning to realize, this has gone over the heads of Joe and Jill Q Public. Keep in mind getting a message to the American public lesson #1 from president speechwriters in modern times, talk at a 6th grade level.
Ron Paul’s message/our message, has been heard, at least once, by most of America. Unfortunately, not all the dots were connected at a 6th grade level in this message. So, what American heard was “Weaker America”, not “Stronger America”. We marvel at how McCain can sound like an idiot throwing out soundbites like “I’ll do what it takes to keep America strong” (or “stay in Iraq 100 years” and “invade Iran”), and “I will not sign a bill containing pork barrel spending”. To us, this is lunacy, to the rest, it’s a “Stronger America”. For evidence, see the Florida results and current delegate totals. And why did Huckabee win in Iowa? Many fundamentalist Christians want the church in the whitehouse, and Huckabee got that message across.
By the way, this also explains the surprising Obama lead over Clinton at this time. Obama can speak for 60 minutes and not say anything. A typical listener just hears "change", "hope", and "yes, we can" in basic political rhetoric.
Yes, McCain, Romney, and the rest have gotten much more media coverage than Dr. Paul. However, they don’t use the time to give the details of their positions and platforms. They say the same 3 things, and America is hearing “stronger America”. Dr. Paul saying the same 3 things (I’m generalizing), and, unfortunately, most of the American public is hearing “weaker America”:
It’s an extremely daunting and challenging undertaking to take on 7 years of Bush administration propaganda, and reeducate mainstream America. To take on 20 years of the federal government telling the public they’ll take care of us. To take on the media spreading this message from the federal government far and wide.
I worry that educating the American people with the facts, connecting the dots at a 6th grade level, will take years, not months. Apparently, 7 out of 100 Americans understand it now (some have understood for years and decades). What will it take to double and triple these numbers ? How does one create a message that says at the 6th grade level getting rid of the institution that creates money for the U.S. will make America richer ? How does one construct a message that says at an elementary grade level, removing our troops from the middle east, where we are fighting a country with the same religion as the 9/11 attackers, will make America stronger and safer ? How about creating a message that sounds intuitive and yet says no more CIA, and no more Homeland Security will make America stronger ?
Yes, I know you can answer these questions. However, the rest of America cannot. And unfortunately, even after reviewing the issues pages on www.ronpaul2008.com, it seems, without connecting the last dot, the uneducated reader will not find the answers either.
Some of you may argue because of media bias, name recognition is the problem. I would argue keep in mind that family member or friend that hears Ron Paul from you constantly, but still isn’t on board. I would wager s/he believes McCain or Romney means a “Stronger America” more so than Dr .Paul. You are probably educating them, however, they still don’t “get” one issue, maybe it’s blowback, or the Fed, or eliminating the IRS. They mistakingly believe Ron Paul is weak on some issue.
The message must stay the same, but must change. The intended audience must be considered more carefully. The message, God forbid, must be “dumbed down” to match “dumbed down” America. Not that your relative or friend is dumb. The current Ron Paul campaign ads are not working…they are not bringing home the message in a manner meaningful to the average American. They are not clearily showing Ron Paul = “Stronger America”. Dr. Paul’s soundbites aren’t working…e.g. “restore the constitution”…could work except that less than 5% of Americans have read the constitution.
The American public is not going change its listening skills. We must change the delivery of the message. Massive re-education is the next step in the Revolution. Ron Paul must start spelling it out at a 6th grade level, starting tonight, or soon. How else will we get him in the Whitehouse, and get Ron Paul Republicans elected everywhere ?
Ron Paul - Speak so the rest of America can understand, no need to talk to us anymore. You already have our donations, our vote and our admiration.
Written for RPF
This isn’t a headline seen anywhere in the media profiling Ron Paul, even in friendly media. Nor is it seen in homemade slogans. However, you and I know it, we all get it; federal government must drastically cut spending to save our quality of life as we know it. Federal government must be restricted in its power over our individual lives to save/restore our quality of life as we know/knew it.
The general public hears, even directly from Ron Paul, “bring our troops home”, and “abolish the Department of Education”, etc. Intuitively, to the general public, this sounds like a weaker America. In other words, it’s counterintuitive to believe reducing our presence in the world, and cutting government programs will make a stronger America. A result of too many years of Bush administration propaganda, with the media dishing it out.
Social scientists and psychologists recently have shown research evidence Bush maintained his presidency in the ’04 election because more Americans believed Bush would keep us safe from terrorism. This is despite more Americans starting to believe at the time the war was a mistake. Democratic candidate Kerry tried to show his strengths talking about health care for all Americans and change and hope, however, when it came down to actual voting, more Americans wanted America to “stay on the offensive “, “to fight them over there”, buying the propaganda from Washington, because there was little, if any media, telling mainstream America otherwise.
One thing that unites Ron Paul supporters and the rest of the country is that we all want a stronger America. Non Ron Paul supporters simply believe Ron Paul as president would produce a weaker America. Let me explain.
Of course, the debate forums, replete with questions meant to position the candidates, and, which allowed for virtually no real debating, didn’t further Ron Paul’s cause in educating America how he would make it stronger. Though, of course, has many have pointed out in blogs and forums, when Ron Paul starts out an answer with for example “Abolish the Department of Education”, mainstream America instinctively hears “Weaker America”.
How about mainstream media and Ron Paul’s message. Despite the use of the term blackout, there certainly has been some coverage. Fundraising did receive coverage on every major channel. Ron Paul was on late night variety shows more than Romney and McCain. Networks interviewed him on his positions and responses to major news events. In fact, many times, forum thread headlines were “Ron Paul is over the media today.” The blimp received some coverage, just check the blimp site for those news pieces.
Critically, did Ron Paul take advantage of this time to educate America, to make his and our positions “intuitive”? I would argue no, rather, he stated his position, and made an excellent argument on how much money the U.S. is spending on the war, and being in 130 countries, etc. That the Federal Reserve is printing money out of thin air, causing the dollar to lose value. Unfortunately, as we are beginning to realize, this has gone over the heads of Joe and Jill Q Public. Keep in mind getting a message to the American public lesson #1 from president speechwriters in modern times, talk at a 6th grade level.
Ron Paul’s message/our message, has been heard, at least once, by most of America. Unfortunately, not all the dots were connected at a 6th grade level in this message. So, what American heard was “Weaker America”, not “Stronger America”. We marvel at how McCain can sound like an idiot throwing out soundbites like “I’ll do what it takes to keep America strong” (or “stay in Iraq 100 years” and “invade Iran”), and “I will not sign a bill containing pork barrel spending”. To us, this is lunacy, to the rest, it’s a “Stronger America”. For evidence, see the Florida results and current delegate totals. And why did Huckabee win in Iowa? Many fundamentalist Christians want the church in the whitehouse, and Huckabee got that message across.
By the way, this also explains the surprising Obama lead over Clinton at this time. Obama can speak for 60 minutes and not say anything. A typical listener just hears "change", "hope", and "yes, we can" in basic political rhetoric.
Yes, McCain, Romney, and the rest have gotten much more media coverage than Dr. Paul. However, they don’t use the time to give the details of their positions and platforms. They say the same 3 things, and America is hearing “stronger America”. Dr. Paul saying the same 3 things (I’m generalizing), and, unfortunately, most of the American public is hearing “weaker America”:
It’s an extremely daunting and challenging undertaking to take on 7 years of Bush administration propaganda, and reeducate mainstream America. To take on 20 years of the federal government telling the public they’ll take care of us. To take on the media spreading this message from the federal government far and wide.
I worry that educating the American people with the facts, connecting the dots at a 6th grade level, will take years, not months. Apparently, 7 out of 100 Americans understand it now (some have understood for years and decades). What will it take to double and triple these numbers ? How does one create a message that says at the 6th grade level getting rid of the institution that creates money for the U.S. will make America richer ? How does one construct a message that says at an elementary grade level, removing our troops from the middle east, where we are fighting a country with the same religion as the 9/11 attackers, will make America stronger and safer ? How about creating a message that sounds intuitive and yet says no more CIA, and no more Homeland Security will make America stronger ?
Yes, I know you can answer these questions. However, the rest of America cannot. And unfortunately, even after reviewing the issues pages on www.ronpaul2008.com, it seems, without connecting the last dot, the uneducated reader will not find the answers either.
Some of you may argue because of media bias, name recognition is the problem. I would argue keep in mind that family member or friend that hears Ron Paul from you constantly, but still isn’t on board. I would wager s/he believes McCain or Romney means a “Stronger America” more so than Dr .Paul. You are probably educating them, however, they still don’t “get” one issue, maybe it’s blowback, or the Fed, or eliminating the IRS. They mistakingly believe Ron Paul is weak on some issue.
The message must stay the same, but must change. The intended audience must be considered more carefully. The message, God forbid, must be “dumbed down” to match “dumbed down” America. Not that your relative or friend is dumb. The current Ron Paul campaign ads are not working…they are not bringing home the message in a manner meaningful to the average American. They are not clearily showing Ron Paul = “Stronger America”. Dr. Paul’s soundbites aren’t working…e.g. “restore the constitution”…could work except that less than 5% of Americans have read the constitution.
The American public is not going change its listening skills. We must change the delivery of the message. Massive re-education is the next step in the Revolution. Ron Paul must start spelling it out at a 6th grade level, starting tonight, or soon. How else will we get him in the Whitehouse, and get Ron Paul Republicans elected everywhere ?
Ron Paul - Speak so the rest of America can understand, no need to talk to us anymore. You already have our donations, our vote and our admiration.